de eycie



(No Model.)

J. -J. J. DE RYOKE.

OUTLET Box.

No. 576,810. Patented Feb. 9, 1897.

- mine $945K:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULES J. JOSEPH DE RYOKE, 'OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

OUTLET-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,810, dated February 9, 1397. Application filed May 2, 1896. Renewed January '7, 1897. Serial No- 618,389. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Jones J only JOSEPH DE RYCKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefullmprovementin Outlet-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

In modern building construction involving wiring for electric-lighting and other purposes it is important that every precaution be taken to lessen the danger of fire from arcs formed by imperfect insulation or by imperfect joints and the like, and also to provide for easy accessibility to the wires for effecting repairs and introducing additional wires without necessitating damage to the walls. It has become the usual practice to carry such wires in closed metal pipes or conduits traversing the walls and partitions and to provide outlet-boxes secured in the wall to receive the ends of such conduits and allow safe and easy access to the terminals leading therefrom to the fixtures. The conduits running to the outlet-boxes may approach the latter from any or all sides and frequently also from the rear, thus necessitating many forms or patterns of box to provide for all the varying conditions and-entailing much labor and care by the electrical engineer in selecting and properly distributing the boxes.

The object of my invention is to provide a single form of outlet-box which shall serve under all the conditions commonly existing in practice and which shall be light and properly insulated, as usual. I attain this end by forming a shallow thin cast-iron box divided along the mid-thickness and having a series of disks arranged on the side walls and bottom capable of being broken away by light blows of a hammer or other suitable implement, leaving a clean circular opening where required to receive the open end of the conduit. The disks in the sides are formed by semicircular grooves in the metal extending nearly through and matching together when the two parts of the box are assembled, while those in the bottom are complete circles. Where practicable, the metalof the box is grooved on both faces, the grooves being coincident, and where this cannot be done without great labor and expense in manufacture the groove is out from one side only; but in either case the metal remaining forming the connecting-web between the disk and adjacent portion of the casting is thinner than that of the disk and neighboring parts to insure that when the metal within the circular groove is struck the break shall follow the groove and avoid danger of cracking in other directions and ruining the casting. It also insures a clean smooth opening with but few, if any, rough projecting points. The bottom of the box is further strengthened by flanges surrounding the disks and by connecting ribs or webs. Stops are provided to prevent the ends of the conduits entering too far and endangering work previously done in the box.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out, the invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the box. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the cover or outer half removed. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the inner face of the cover. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the complete box. Fig. 5 isa section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 1. In this figure the box is shown in place in the wall. Fig. 6. is a section on a larger scale, showing the preferred form of groove; and Fig. 7 shows the same with the disk broken away. Fig. 8 is a face or plan view corresponding to Fig. 6. Fig. 9 shows a modification. It is aface View.

' Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A and B refer, respectively, to the front and rear halves of a rectangular outlet-box, the form generally preferred. Each is of cast-iron, matched together and secured by screws A, extending through holes drilled in the front or cover A at the corners into correspondinglyplaced holes drilled and tapped in the rear half or body B to receive them.

A is a circular flange surrounding an opening CL and forming a seat for the usual ornamental canopy (not shown) covering the opening. The latter is of sufficient size to allow ample room for the wirer to make connections with the terminals or to do other work required on the interior without removing the cover A.

D D are semicircular grooves of V-section produced in the walls of the body and cover, so situated as to form complete circles when the parts are applied together. The grooves ICO are made byadvancing the box against a suitably-shaped revolving annular cutter which channels the thin walls nearly but not quite through, leaving only a slight easily-broken connection D between the disks d within the circle and the material without, the remaining portions of the walls being of practically uniform thickness, so that when the disks (Z are struck by a hammer the line of least resistance will be along the groove and the pieces be cleanly and sharply broken out on that line.

E E are annular grooves in the opposite faces of the bottom 13. They are formed in the casting by properly shaping the patterns and are coincident and extend partially through from each face, so that the breaking-line lies in the mid-thickness. I have shown five such disks, one c in the center and one 6 in each corner of the body B. There is little danger of breaking from one to the other because of the grooves; but to guard against it I prefer to cast on the interior of the body in the most approved form of the invention an annular flange E 011 the outer edge of each groove, connceted to each other and to the walls of the body by strengthening ribs or webs E.

The slight connecting metal joining the disks c c is marked E, and this form has an advantage over the construction shown for the side walls of the body and cover in that the break does not extend to the plane surface on either side, and therefore the danger of chipping oif portions of the face when the pieces are broken away is greatly lessened.

B B are countersunk holes drilled at convenient points in the corners of the bottom B to receive screws for securing the box in position in the partition or ceiling by engaging with a stud or other portion of the building-frame.

The opening produced by breaking out the central disk 6' is intended more particularly to receive the end of a gas-pipe G, from which may extend any ordinary or suitable gas-fixture. (Not shown.) The other weaken ed portions 6 and (Z are larger and adapted to receive the ends of pipes or conduits II, carrying the electric wires.

A A are lugs east on the inner face of the cover A, projecting far enough and so arranged relatively to the disks cl as to serve as stops against which the abutting ends of the conduits H are received, limiting the distance towhich they can enter the box and thus preventing them from interfering one with the other. The lugs A are plain flat projections arranged in the mid-length of each side, each opposite the central disk (I. The others, A are at the corners and are angular to match thereto, each face of the angle lying in the path of a conduit entering at the disks (Z nearest the corner.

G is a tubular thimble orcollar having a flange G receiving the gas-pipe G and secured thereon by the set-screw G The flange is ofsufficient diameter to overlap slightly the disks e in the bottom B and serve as a stop [or conduits entering the box from the rear. It also serves as a fastening for the boxes when two are set in the wall on opposite sides and each receives a branch pipe or arm extending from a main within the wall by setting each box well home and then securing it by forcing the collar G down against the bottom I3 and setting the screw G In wiring a building the positions to be occupied by the outlet-boxes are first determined and the directions and lines upon which the conduits will approach and leave them. The disks corresponding nearest thereto are then broken out and the body B secured in place by screws extending through the holes B or otherwise. The conduits are then laid in place and such connections made as are required at the time and the cover is applied and fastened. End thrust on the conduits is resisted by the lugs A A" and the work proceeds on the next floor or in an adjoining room. In case the gas-pipes are in place and the outlets thereby determined the disk 0' is broken out and the branch threaded through the opening thus formed. The collar G is then applied, if eond nits are to approach from i the rear through openings produced by breaking out one or more disks 0, and fastened upon the gas-pipe by the set-screw G".

The interior faces of the box are coated with enamel, porcelain, or other insulating material, as usual, and both body and cover are concealed by the plastering, excepting only the flange A" receiving the canopy.

The important advantage secured by the use of my invention over any of the forms before known to me is in the sharply-defined breaking-line produced by the weakening of the metal along the groove, insuring a clean and practically smooth opening, and also in the provisions for preserving the strength of the surrounding metal to avoid breaking the casting on other than the predetermined lines.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing its ad vantages.

The semicircular grooves D in the side walls of the box may be produced by casting in suitably-prepared molds, in which case they may be sunk on each face, as those shown in the bottom B.

The strengthening-flanges It and webs E" may be omitted, and the number and size of the several disks may be varied.

Fig. 9 shows a circular box having weakened portions or disks formed in the bottom only. This form is intended to serve mainly as an overhead box to be set in the ceiling.

I do not claim an outlet-box having two sections, each of which is formed with a weakened portion, said weakened portions matching to each other when the sections arejoined and the weakened portions being capable of being broken to form a single orifice theform of which is regulated by the form of the weak: ened portions; but

IIO

lVhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an outlet-box, the cover A and body B, a semicircular disk 01 forming apart of each and matching to each other when the cover and body are assembled, the thin Web D joining each disk to the adjacent portion of the casting, the said Web being thinner than the metal of said diskand adjacent portion, to determine the line of break in removing said disk, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

2. In an outlet-box, the circular disk, the connecting-Web joining the disk to the adjacent portions of the casting and thinner than the latter and said disk, to determine the line of fracture in breaking out the disk, combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

3. In an outlet-box, the circular disk, the connecting-Web joining the disk to the adjacent portions of the casting and thinner than the latter and said disk, to determine the line of fracture in breaking out the disk, and the 4 annular strengthening-flange inclosing said disk and Web, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

a. In an outlet-box, the circular disk c, the connecting-Web E formed by the grooves E coinciding in position on each face of the casting, and thinner than said disk and the adjacent portion of the casting so that the line of the break in removing the disk shall lie in the mid-thickness of the casting, all substantially as herein specified.

5. In an outlet-box, the circular disk 6, the connecting-web E formed by the grooves E coincidingin position 011 each face of the casting, and thinner than said disk and the adjacent portion of the casting so that the line of the break in removing the disk shall lie in the mid-thickness of the casting, in combination with the strengthening-flange E all substantially as herein specified.

6. In an outlet-box, the cover and body, a series of semicircular disks on the sid es,matching together when the cover and body are assembled, a Web joining each disk to the adjacent portion of the casting, and the lugs on the inner face of the cover near each disk to serve as stops all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

7. In an outlet-box, the series of circular disks 6 e, a connecting-Web for each thinner than the disks and adjacent portions of the casting to determine the line of the break in removing the disks, in combination with a collar G and screw i for securing said collar upon an arm extending Within the box, and a flange G on said collar serving as a stop, all substantially as herein specified.

8. In an outlet-box, the body B having the series of disks d in its sides and the series of circular disks 6 e in its bottom B, each disk connected to the adjacent portion of the body by a web thinner than the disks and casting, in combination with the cover A having the opening a, the series of disks matching those on the sides of the body and similarly connected, the lugs A A cast on the inner face of the cover to serve as stops for conduits entering the box from the sides, the collar G and screw G for securing the collar upon an arm extending Within the box, and the flange G on said collar serving as a stop for conduits entering from the rear, all substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in pres ence of two Witnesses. I

J. J. JOSEPH DE RYCKE.

Witnesses:

WM. E. G. MITCHELL, CHARLES L. MALCOLM. 

